If you found Park Ji-hoon through The Legend of Kitchen Soldier and wondered why his name keeps coming up in both music and drama circles, here’s the short version: he’s been famous in Korea since 2017, first as one of the most popular idols of his generation, and now increasingly as a leading actor. For newcomers, here’s where he came from and what’s worth watching or listening to next.
The “wink boy” from Produce 101
Park Ji-hoon, born May 29, 1999 in Masan, broke through on the 2017 survival show Produce 101 Season 2. His self-introduction clip — capped with a wink — went viral, earning him the lasting “wink boy” nickname and a huge fan vote. He finished the season ranked second, which guaranteed him a spot in the show’s debut group.
Wanna One, then a solo career
That group was Wanna One, the project boy band assembled from the top finishers of Produce 101 Season 2. Wanna One was active from 2017 to 2019 (with a reunion in 2021–2022) and was one of the biggest K-pop acts of that stretch, which meant Park went from contestant to arena-level idol almost overnight.
When the group’s contract wrapped, he moved straight into a solo career. He released his debut EP O’Clock, led by the single “L.O.V.E,” on March 26, 2019, and has continued putting out solo music since. If you want a starting point as a listener, O’Clock is the logical first stop because it’s where his solo identity begins.
The pivot to acting
What makes Park interesting in 2026 is that he didn’t stay in the idol lane. He built a real acting résumé alongside the music:
- Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency (2019) — Go Young-soo, an early supporting role
- Love Revolution (2020) — Gong Joo-young, his first lead
- At a Distance, Spring Is Green (2021) — Yeo Jun
- Weak Hero Class 1 (2022) — Yeon Si-eun, the quiet, calculating lead that won him wider critical attention
- The King’s Warden (2026) — King Danjong of Joseon
That progression — supporting parts, then leads, then a historical role and a genre-bending hit in the same year — is why he’s now talked about as an actor first by a lot of new viewers.
Why he fits The Legend of Kitchen Soldier
Casting an idol-turned-actor as a broke private who quietly becomes extraordinary in the kitchen plays to Park’s strengths. The roles that landed best for him — Yeon Si-eun in Weak Hero Class 1 especially — lean on restraint and a slow reveal of competence rather than big, loud charisma. A cooking-fantasy underdog is squarely in that wheelhouse, and it’s a useful entry point if you’re meeting him through the drama and want to understand what he actually does well.
Where to start if you’re new
Two easy on-ramps: watch Weak Hero Class 1 for the acting that earned him his reputation, and listen to O’Clock for the beginning of his solo music. From there, The Legend of Kitchen Soldier slots in neatly as the latest step — the same understated screen presence, now carrying a series of his own. For news, releases, and official goods, his current agency YY Entertainment (which he signed with in 2024) is the place to follow for what’s verified rather than fan rumor.
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